Should Mercy have a McDonald's?

I've written on this before, but I am quite passionate about hospital food. I spend a fair amount of time as a hospital-based doula in Central Iowa hospitals, and inevitably I end up needing food from the cafeteria. This past week, I learned of a national anti-junk food campaign that is targeting Mercy Des Moines for having a McDonald's in it. (Read Article Here)

There are two sides to this story. The anti-junk food campaign thinks that a hospital is sending a biased message: “Health professionals are devoted to caring for sick children and adults and to preventing illness,” the Boston-based group wrote to hospital administrators. “But these efforts cannot compete with the profit-driven mechanisms by which McDonald’s and the fast food industry operate their business, and the toll that McDonald’s practices have had on children’s health."

Mercy stated their opinion too: "Hospital administrators said in a prepared statement that the McDonald’s “provides an alternative to visitors and family members to dine in a familiar environment that can be a comfort, particularly for children, during stressful times. McDonald’s offers a variety of choices, including healthy foods such as salads, and provides nutrition information for its patrons.”

Katie's Opinion:

I've had to work really hard in any hospital to find something healthy to eat--whether it was at Mercy's McDonalds or any hospital cafeteria. The bottom line is that these hospitals don't care what their patients, staff, and visitors are eating. If they did, they would be offering much healthier options. I tend to get a salad (you have to pay for it by the ounce), which includes the non-nutritional iceberg lettuce, assorted bland veggies, and fattening dressing with lots of hydrogenated oils. Forget adding any protein there unless it's eggs for breakfast. It is not good protein.  If possible, I try to bring food from home. 

I've also had the privilege of working with moms who are on bed rest for the remainder of their pregnancies. Some have been on reduced-sugar diets (low carb). Instead of offering them quality proteins and fresh veggies that would make their bodies and their babies so much healthier, they can order pretty much whatever they want and only need to report how many carbs they are eating so it can be controlled with insulin. Urgh! The hospital system is obviously flawed, and at the expense of our community. 

It would seem that the place which presumably has the biggest goal of getting people healthier would make nutritious food available to its consumers. 

I'm done on my soap box. Time to go find a really colorful, organic salad somewhere!